Polish market entry

/ Consulting Services in Poland

Market entry

Polish market entry

Advisory on entering the Polish market — the right route, the right legal structure, a clear view of tax and compliance, and support setting up on the ground.

Entering Poland is a sequence of decisions before it is a registration. The route you take into the market, the legal structure you choose, and the tax and compliance obligations you accept all shape what the business costs to run and how quickly it can operate.

We advise international companies on exactly those decisions. getsix® maps the options, sets out the trade-offs, and gives you a clear recommendation — so you commit to a route with a full view of what it means in Poland.

Weighing up how to enter the Polish market?

A decision, not a form

Why the entry decision comes first

Companies often arrive with the question “how do we register a company in Poland”, when the prior question — what is the right way for us to be present in this market at all — has not yet been answered. Direct export, a distributor, a branch, a subsidiary or a joint venture each carry a different cost, level of control and exposure.

Choosing the wrong structure is expensive to unwind. A representative office cannot sell, a branch is taxed and reported differently from a subsidiary, and a distributor relationship shapes how much of the customer relationship you actually own. We help you get this decision right before anything is filed.

Not sure which form of presence fits your plans?

Discuss your entry options

Our approach

How we advise on market entry

We start from your commercial goal — what you sell, to whom, and how quickly you need to be operating — not from a template. From there we work through the route to market, the legal structure, the tax and compliance obligations, and the operational setup you will need on the ground. You receive a clear decision supported by the trade-offs behind it, and a single team that can then execute the route you choose.

Business-first advisory

We translate Polish rules into a practical recommendation for your situation, not a general description of the law.

One team, end to end

The team that advises on the route also registers the entity and runs accounting, tax, payroll and legal afterwards — no handovers between providers.

Communication in your language

Our teams work fluently in English, German and Polish, so decisions are discussed without a language barrier.

Want a practical recommendation rather than a general overview?

Request market entry advisory

Routes to market

Choosing your route into the Polish market

There is no single right way to enter Poland. The best route depends on how much control you need, how much you are ready to invest upfront, and how quickly you want to be selling.

01

Direct export & e-commerce

The lowest initial investment and the fastest way to start selling into Poland.

Trade-off

Less direct control over local branding, pricing and customer service, and limited presence on the ground.

02

Local distributors or agents

A fast way to gain traction through partners who already know the market. Face-to-face meetings and local relationships weigh heavily in Polish commercial decisions, which a local partner can open for you.

Trade-off

You share the customer relationship and depend on the partner's reach and priorities.

03

Local subsidiary or joint venture

The most control and the strongest institutional credibility. A subsidiary — usually a sp. z o.o. — gives you a full local presence; a joint venture adds a local partner's market knowledge.

Trade-off

Higher upfront regulatory and capital commitment before the first sale.

04

Dedicated B2B outbound & sales partners

Native-speaking market-entry and sales support that bridges the language barrier and accelerates early client discovery — without the commitment of a full local team from day one.

Trade-off

A transitional model; it supports discovery rather than replacing a long-term structure.

Not sure which route fits your product and timeline?

Map your entry route with us

Legal structure

Choosing the right legal structure

If your route involves a presence in Poland, the structure you register shapes your liability, your tax position and what you are actually allowed to do. Four forms are most relevant to foreign investors.

Limited liability company (sp. z o.o.)

The default choice for most foreign investors: limited liability, full market access and no restrictions on foreign ownership. Suitable for trading, services and holding activity.

Branch (oddział)

For an established foreign company extending its own operations into Poland without forming a separate legal entity. The branch may conduct the same activity as the parent.

Representative office

Limited to marketing and promotion of the parent company. It may not carry out direct commercial sales — a market-testing step rather than an operating presence.

Joint-stock company (S.A.)

For large-scale capital ventures and public offerings, with a higher minimum capital and a supervisory board requirement.

Once the structure is decided, we handle the registration

Choosing the structure is advisory work; forming it is execution. The same team completes the registration end to end — see Register a company in Poland for the formation process itself.

Deciding between a subsidiary, a branch and a representative office?

Compare structures for your case

Tax & compliance

The tax and compliance landscape

Your entry decision also commits you to a set of tax and reporting obligations. These are the headline parameters most foreign investors need to understand before they settle on a structure.

CIT

19%

Corporate income tax — standard rate; 9% for small taxpayers.

VAT

23%

Standard rate; reduced rates of 8%, 5% and 0% apply to specific goods and services.

PIT

12% / 32%

Personal income tax — progressive scale.

Mandatory registrations

  • National Court Register (KRS) — entry of the company.
  • Tax Identification Number (NIP), with VAT registration where required.
  • Ultimate Beneficial Owner filing in the Central Register (CRBR / UBO).
  • Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) enrolment once you employ staff.

We confirm the parameters that apply to you

Rates and thresholds are indicative and current for 2026, and some are expected to change. We confirm the figures and obligations for your specific structure and activity, and flag upcoming changes that affect your plan. See Tax advisory in Poland for the detail.

Want to understand your tax exposure before you choose a structure?

Request a tax and compliance orientation

Operational setup

Office, warehouse and location support

A decision to enter Poland usually comes with a physical requirement — an office for a local team, or warehouse and logistics space for goods.

Through our partner network we help you find office and warehouse space across Poland and connect you with specialists for warehousing and logistics, so your operational footprint is ready when your entity is. This runs alongside our domiciliation and virtual office options for companies that need a registered address before they need physical space.

Need to line up office or warehouse space in Poland?

Ask about location support

What location support covers

  • Referral to specialists searching office and warehouse space nationwide.
  • Help lining up warehousing and logistics contacts.
  • A registered address through getsix domiciliation while you search.
  • Virtual office options across our Polish locations.

Ready to plan your entry

From decision to operating presence, with one team

Tell us what you sell and where you are now. We will map the route, the structure and the setup, and stay with you through registration and the back office.

Request market entry advisory
dr inż. Monika Martynkiewicz-Frank

dr inż. Monika Martynkiewicz-Frank

Partner

Monika is your getsix contact for market entry. She guides the decision from the first consultation through to an operating presence, bringing registration, tax, payroll and legal together as one team.

How it works

How cooperation with getsix looks

  1. 01

    Tell us about your plans in a short email or through the contact form.

  2. 02

    We schedule a consultation on the possible routes and structures.

  3. 03

    You receive a proposal and pricing based on the agreed scope.

  4. 04

    Implementation, followed by a client satisfaction review.

Ready to talk through your options?

Schedule a consultation

Frequently asked questions

Entering the Polish market

Do I need a Polish company to sell in Poland?

Not always. Direct export or a distributor arrangement can work without a local entity. A Polish entity becomes necessary when you need full control, local invoicing, a local team or stronger market credibility. We help you judge which applies to your case.

Which legal structure should I choose?

For most foreign investors a sp. z o.o. is the practical default, but a branch, representative office or S.A. may fit better depending on your activity and scale. The right answer follows from your route to market — not the other way round.

Can a foreigner enter the Polish market without relocating?

Yes. A capital company such as a sp. z o.o. can be established and owned without residing in Poland, and much of the setup can be handled under a power of attorney. Company ownership itself does not grant residence or work rights.

How quickly can I be operational?

It depends on the route. Direct export or a distributor can start quickly; a registered entity typically takes a few days to form, with tax registration and bank setup adding time before full operations.

Do I need an office or warehouse to start?

Not necessarily. A registered address or virtual office can satisfy the formal requirement, while office and warehouse space can follow once you know your footprint. We support both through our domiciliation options and our partner network.

How will my Polish operations be taxed?

The headline parameters are CIT at 19% (9% for small taxpayers), VAT at 23% with reduced rates of 8%, 5% and 0%, and PIT on a 12% / 32% scale. The structure you choose changes how these apply, and we confirm your position per case.

Last updated: 12 October 2026

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